Ghosts can’t seem to wake us up

My family and I just attended the Goodman Production of “A Christmas Carol.” It’s obvious that Dickens wrote this for an earlier era. If Scrooge were living in Illinois today, his reaction to the taxes and benefits he’d be paying on behalf of Bob Cratchit wouldn’t allow him to come to his senses and give Bob a raise voluntarily. Bob would simply ignore Ebenezer and file for refunds using both federal and state Earned Income Tax Credits. He’d never realize the willing generosity of his newly-enlightened boss and friend. He’d continue to rely on the fake generosity of his Uncles Sam and Quinn, paid for unwittingly by strangers. Each year, the ghosts of our Christmases past attempt to wake us up before it’s too late. I wonder if our response will be, “Bah, humbug.” May God bless us, every one!

Joseph Sabatino

Antioch